Card game monitoring system

ABSTRACT

The card game monitoring system comprises a game table on which bettors put wagers on betting areas; and a card shooter apparatus has a card reading unit to read and record the number (rank) and suit of the cards; and a control unit to determine a winning hand according to a table game rules based on information of numbers (ranks) and suits of the cards sequentially read by the card reading unit; a monitor video camera system to capture positions of cards and to identify wagers on each betting area at the game table; the control unit has further processing function to check whether wagers with payoff move to a pool of the winner of the bettors determined by the card shooter apparatus at the end of each game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/229,976 filed Apr. 14, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/112,038 filed Jul. 15, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,145,158), which is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national phase application of International Application No. PCT/JP2015/000171 filed Jan. 16, 2015, which claims priority to AU Application No. 2014200314 filed Jan. 17, 2014, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a table game monitoring system for a table game using playing cards from a shoe having multiple decks that have been shuffled together prior to the beginning of play in which bettors make wagers on betting areas of a game table in front of the bettors. This table game monitoring system monitors whether or not wagers of winning bettor(s) move to appropriate area of the winner(s).

BACKGROUND ART

Baccarat and Black Jack are of the many live table games played in casinos or gaming establishments. These games use a standard deck of 52 playing cards and are usually dealt from a shoe having multiple decks (6 to 9 or 10 decks) that have been shuffled together prior to the beginning of play. When operating people (hereinafter “the dealer”) in casinos deliver playing cards to a game table for plays in such games, any loss of cards or exchange of cards between bettors, etc. should not occur, and also wagers with payoffs must correctly go to the winners of the bettors after each game has ended.

To assure fair games by preventing such loss or exchanges during games, the game tables in casinos should be administrated so that games at tables are played properly (i.e. there is no exchange of cards or any other accidental or fraudulent acts etc.) and wagers are correctly paid off to the winners. A system to monitor the game tables by camera is known and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,301. This known system only monitors the table game and records whole games for later analysis if it is believed that some inappropriate act has occurred.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a real-time monitoring of the table game and enables the casino to stop an ongoing game immediately when something unexpected happens by administrating the whole game from the start to the end of the game.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and aims to provide a table game monitoring system with which it is possible to allow a casino to stop an ongoing game immediately when something unexpected happens by administrating the whole game from the start to the end of the game and during payoffs.

To solve the above conventional problems, the present invention provides the card game monitoring system having: a game table on which bettors make wagers on betting areas, a card shooter apparatus that is put on the game table and has a card reading unit that reads the number (rank) of the card and having a control unit to determine a winning hand according to a table game rules based on information of numbers of the cards sequentially read by the card reading unit and a monitor video camera system to capture positions of the card delivered from the card shooter apparatus to bettors and identify wagers on each betting area at the game table, the control unit has a processing function using the information of the monitor video camera system to determine: 1) head-count of the bettors playing each game by identifying the wagers on each betting area or cards delivered to bettors, 2) whether or not each bettor gets more than two cards from the card shooter apparatus, 3) each hand of the bettors and the dealer according to the information read by the card shooter apparatus using the information of head-count of the bettors according to the game rule, and 4) the winner(s) having the winning hand(s) in the game according to the game rule based on the information of the each hand of the bettors and the dealer, wherein the monitor video camera system further reads movements of wagers on the game table, and the control unit having further processing function to check whether wagers with payoffs move to the winner of the bettor determined by the card shooter apparatus at the end of each game.

In the card game monitoring system, the control unit has further processing function to identify ranks of playing cards on the game table delivered by a dealer and to check and report whether ranks of cards are the same as the ones determined by the card shooter apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the entirety of a table game system according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the entirety of a table game system according to an embodiment 2 of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides a card game monitoring system for playing Black Jack. In FIG. 1 , the card game monitoring system has: a game table 1 on which bettors 2 make wagers by putting wagers 3 on betting areas 4; a card shooter apparatus that is put on the game table 1 and has a card reading unit that reads the number (rank) and suit of the cards 6 and having a control unit 7 to determine a winning hand according to a table game rule based on information of numbers (ranks) of the cards sequentially read by the card reading unit 5.

A monitor video camera system 8 which has several cameras 9 is set above each game table 1 to capture the positions of cards 6 delivered from the card shooter apparatus 5 to bettors 2. The monitor video camera system 8 identifies wagers 3 on each betting area 4 at the game table 1, the control unit 10 has a processing function using the information of the monitor video cameras 9 to determine the following: 1) head-count of the bettors playing on each game by identifying the positions of wagers on each betting area or cards delivered to each bettor 2 (three persons (heads) shown in FIG. 1 ), 2) number of cards delivered for each bettor 2 by dealer 11 from the card shooter apparatus 5 (whether or not each bettor 2 gets more than two cards).

The control unit 10 has further processing function using information from the monitor video cameras 9 to determine each hand of the bettors 2 and the dealer 11 according to the information read by the card shooter apparatus 5 using the information of the results of head-counting of the bettors 2 and according to the game rules installed in the control unit 7 of the card shooter apparatus 5. Then the control unit 7 will determine the winner W having the winning hand on the game based on the information of the hands of the bettors 2 and the dealer 11.

Wherein the card shooter apparatus 5 knows directions of each card (who gets each card read by the card shooter apparatus 5 through the monitor video camera system 8) and then the card shooter apparatus 5 (the control unit 7) will figure out by its programs the hands held by the bettors 2 and the dealer 11. The control unit 10 has further a processing function to check whether wagers 3 with payoffs 3W move to a pool 12 of the winner 2W of the bettors 2 determined by the card shooter apparatus 5 at the end of each game (the movement M for the winners and L for loser in FIG. 1 ).

The monitor video camera system 8 (with the control unit 10) has further processing function that identify ranks of playing cards 6 by analyzing pictures from the monitor video cameras 9 to determine each hand (number) of the bettors 2 on the game table delivered by a dealer 11 and checks whether suits and ranks of cards 6 are the same as the ones read and determined by the card shooter apparatus 5.

The monitor video camera system 8 (the control unit 10) has further processing function that identifies total amounts of wagers 3 by counting chips on each betting area 4 of the bettors 2. Each total amount of wagers 3 are calculated by analyzing pictures from the monitor video cameras 9 of its colors and its height of chips on each betting areas 4. Special video cameras 9 s for this purpose may be put around the game table 1 to take side views of the chips of wagers 3.

FIG. 2 shows an example of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Embodiment 2 of the present invention provides a card game monitoring system for playing game (Baccarat). In FIG. 2 , the card game monitoring system has: a game table 21 on which bettors 2 make wagers by putting wagers 3 on betting areas 24; a card shooter apparatus 25 that is put on the game table 21 and has a card reading unit that reads the number (rank) and suit of the cards 6 and having a control unit 27 to determine a winning hand according to a table game rule based on information of numbers (ranks) of the cards 6 sequentially read by the card shooter apparatus 25.

A monitor video camera system 28 reads cards and movements of the wagers 3 on the game table. The control unit 27 of the card shooter apparatus 25 has processing functions to determine whether the winning hand is the Banker or the Player based on information of numbers (ranks) of the cards read by the a card shooter apparatus 25 and Baccarat game rule in the control unit 27. A control unit 30 of the card game monitoring system having processing function to check whether wagers 3 with payoffs 3W move to a pool 22 of the winners 2W of the bettors 2 after each game has ended.

Wherein the card shooter apparatus 25 knows that place (Banker or Player) to which each card is delivered according to the game rule of Baccarat and then the card shooter apparatus 25 (with the control unit 27) will calculate each hand of Banker and Player. In this way the card shooter apparatus 25 determines whether a winning hand is the Banker or the Player. The control unit 30 has a further processing function to check whether wagers 3 with payoffs 3W move to a pool 22 of the winner 2W of the bettors 2 determined by the card shooter apparatus 25 at the end of each game (the movement M for the winners and L for loser movement M in FIG. 2 ).

The monitor video camera system 28 (with the control unit 30) has further processing function that identify ranks of playing cards 6 on the game table 21 delivered by a dealer 11 by analyzing pictures obtained from the monitor video cameras 29. This card game monitoring system checks whether suits and ranks of cards 6 are the same as the ones read and determined by the card shooter apparatus 25 and reports to an administration section of the casino the results of whether the suits and ranks of cards 6 are the same as those delivered and read by the card shooter apparatus 25.

The monitor video camera system 28 (the control unit 30) has further processing function that identify total amounts of wagers 3 by counting chips on each betting area 24 of the bettors 2. Each total amount of wagers 3 is calculated by analyzing pictures from the monitor video cameras 29 of its colors and its height of chips on each betting areas 24. Special video cameras 29 s for this purpose may be put around the game table 21 to take side views of the chips of wagers 3.

In both examples of Embodiment 1 and 2 the monitor video camera system 8 and 28 can identify positions of wagers 3, the total amount of wagers 3 of its colors and its height of chips on each betting areas 4 and 24 by analyzing pictures taken by the video cameras 9, 9 s, 29 and 29 s using CCD and through known technology of vision analysis. The monitor video camera system 8 and 28 can also identify positions of cards 3 and analyze the faces of cards showing in betting.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Annex 1: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the card shooter apparatus has further determination function of the card games when each game starts and ends according to the rules of Baccarat or Black Jack with monitoring video camera system.

Annex 2: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has further processing function to check whether wagers do not move from the original betting position to the other area during the each game starts and ends (during each game).

Annex 3: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a determination function to determine when the betting starts before the start of each game (the betting start indicates the time the first bet is put on the betting area).

Annex 4: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a determination function to determine when the betting ends before the start of each game (the betting end indicates the time the first card is delivered from the card shooter apparatus). Also the control unit has a processing function using the information from the monitor video camera system to determine the movement of the dealer's hand representing the end of betting called “No more bet.”

Annex 5: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a determination function to determine when the payoff has completed after the end of each game.

Annex 6: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a transmitting function to transmit the information of the monitor video camera to a backyard in casino.

Annex 7: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a determination function to determine an error, and the card game monitoring system further has an output means to output an error signal by displaying and/or alarming in the card shooter apparatus and/or the related system components incorporated in the card game monitoring system as a result of the determination of the error. The error mentioned above includes at least one of the following items: 1) The ranks of playing cards identified by the card game monitoring system on the game table delivered by the dealer are not same as the ones determined by the card shooter apparatus; 2) Wagers have moved from the original betting position to other areas during each game; and 3) Wagers with payoffs have not moved to the winners of the bettors at the end of each game.

Annex 8: The card game monitoring system mentioned above, the control unit has a determination function to identify a cut card delivered from the card shooter apparatus. 

1. A system of monitoring game play on a table surface of a gaming table, the system comprising: at least one camera configured to capture images of the table surface; and a computing device in communication with the at least one camera, the computing device configured to: receive, in real time, the images of the table surface captured by the at least one camera; analyze, in real time, at least a first image of the images of the table surface to identify a presence of a game object on the table surface; based on identification of the presence of the game object on the table surface, determine whether the game object is a game start trigger initiating game object by comparing at least one visual feature of the game object with stored configuration data relating to a prescribed game start trigger initiating game object; in response to a determination that the game object identified as present on the table surface is the game start trigger initiating game object, determine that a game start event has occurred and record a first time stamp for a first game event; and transmit first game event data to a server, the first game event data including an indicator of the game start event and the first time stamp for the first game event.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to: analyze, in real time, at least a second image of the images of the table surface to identify an absence of any game start trigger initiating game object on the table surface; in response to any game start trigger initiating game object being identified as being absent from the table surface, determine that a game end event has occurred and recording a second time stamp for a second game event; and transmit second game event data to the server, the second game event data including an indicator of the game end event and the second time stamp for the second game event.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the game object is the game start trigger initiating game object, the computing device is further configured to: pre-process at least the first image to obtain a pre-processed image; identify at least one contour in the pre-processed image; and compare the at least one contour to at least one contour criteria to determine whether the at least one contour relates to the game start trigger initiating game object.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein, to compare the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria, the computing device is further configured to compare an area defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined area that corresponds with an expected size of the game start trigger initiating game object.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein, to compare the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria, the computing device is further configured to compare a number of vertices defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined number of vertices that corresponds with an expected number of vertices of the game start trigger initiating game object.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein, to compare the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria, the computing device is further configured to compare the cosine of an angle between joint edges defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined value.
 7. A method of monitoring game play on a table surface of a gaming table, the method comprising: receiving, in real time and by a computing device in communication with at least one camera, images of the table surface captured by the at least one camera; analyzing, in real time, at least a first image of the images of the table surface to identify a presence of a game object on the table surface; based on identifying the presence of a game object on the table surface, determining whether the game object is a game start trigger initiating game object by comparing at least one visual feature of the game object with stored configuration data relating to a prescribed game start trigger initiating game object; in response to determining that the game object identified as present on the table surface is the game start trigger initiating game object: determining that a game start event has occurred; and recording a first time stamp for a first game event; and transmitting, by the computing device, first game event data to a server, the first game event data including an indicator of the game start event and the first time stamp for the first game event.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: analyzing, in real time, at least a second image of the images of the table surface to identify an absence of any game start trigger initiating game object on the table surface; in response to any game start trigger initiating game object being identified as being absent from the table surface: determining that a game end event has occurred; and recording a second time stamp for a second game event; and transmitting, by the computing device, second game event data to the server, the second game event data including an indicator of the game end event and the second time stamp for the second game event.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining whether the game object is the game start trigger initiating game object comprises: pre-processing at least the first image to obtain a pre-processed image; identifying at least one contour in the pre-processed image; and comparing the at least one contour to at least one contour criteria to determine whether the at least one contour relates to the game start trigger initiating game object.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pre-processing at least the first image to obtain the pre-processed image comprises performing a canny edge detection process on at least the first image.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pre-processing at least the first image to obtain the pre-processed image comprises dilating an output of the canny edge detection process to remove any holes between edge segments.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein comparing the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria comprises comparing an area defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined area that corresponds with an expected size of the game start trigger initiating game object.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein comparing the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria comprises comparing a number of vertices defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined number of vertices that corresponds with an expected number of vertices of the game start trigger initiating game object.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein comparing the at least one contour to the at least one contour criteria comprises comparing the cosine of an angle between joint edges defined by the at least one contour with a pre-determined value.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein pre-processing at least the first image to obtain a pre-processed image comprises performing a global thresholding process on at least the first image.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein pre-processing at least the first image to obtain the pre-processed image comprises eroding at least the first image to remove objects smaller than a predetermined size.
 17. The method of claim 7, wherein the game start trigger initiating game object is a playing card.
 18. The method of claim 7, wherein the game start trigger initiating game object is a dolly or a position marker.
 19. The method of claim 7, wherein the images of the table surface are color images, greyscale images, or infrared images.
 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the method of claim
 7. 